A Glimpse at Edward SCNLSG EPOV
by eifeltwr
Summary: Edward's POV Bella and Edward met their senior year of high school, both liked each other but neither did anything about it. Nine years later Edward requests to be Bella's friend on Facebook. Can they get the second chance they both are craving?


**AN: Hiya. Here is Cowboyward's POV for Second Chances Never Looked So Good. I hope you enjoy it! **

**Below is a saying from one of my ALL time favorite authors, Linda Lael Miller. She wrote the series on the **_**McKettrick Men of Arizona**_** and the **_**Creed Men of Montana**_**. Her books are what got me hooked on cowboys and ranches! **

"**The American cowboy is the equivalent of a British Knight. Someone who sweeps into save the day. Someone who is authentic and ethical has authenticity, ruggedness, and realness. The cowboy is someone that everyone aspires to be." ~ Linda Lael Miller.**

**Huge thanks go out to Mac214, ****Phoenixjedi and Jill for a great betaing job!**

**Disclaimer ~ I do not own **_**Twilight**_**, I just like playing with them.**

**A Glimpse at Edward ~ Chapter One**

Almost all of the past two years of my life have revolved around one person, Elizabeth Victoria Cullen – my daughter. She's what I never knew I always wanted, and she's my everything. Elizabeth, or Lizzy-Bear as I call her, has my copper-colored hair, and green eyes. She has a feistiness I envy, and I could already tell she'll be a handful growing up. I don't even want to think about her dating. I'll go out and buy a shotgun, just so I can sit on the front porch to ward off any boys who come her way. Sure, I want her to get married and have kids, but I'm hoping that day won't come until she's fifty.

Lizzy's mother, Lauren, and I had a short relationship. I met her in a bar one night while I was hanging out with friends. Lauren was beautiful, with long, dark blond hair and a tight little body. I admit our relationship was purely sexual, at least on my part. We'd dated for a few months when I decided I needed to break things off. She was superficial and always gloating to her friends about how much money I had - that didn't sit well with me. _Was she just using me for a lay and my money?_

I finally decided to end things with her one night while I was at her apartment. She threw a vase at my head and told me I was a selfish bastard to leave her when she was pregnant. That got my attention. She hadn't even hinted to me she was pregnant. I asked her to go to the doctor's to be positive, and sure enough, she was.

Lauren gave me an ultimatum: either I marry her, or she'd get an abortion. I'm all for women having the right to choose, except for when it comes to _my_ child. I spent the better part of a week trying to figure out what I was going to do. There was no way in hell I could marry Lauren, but I really wanted the baby.

"Why not just marry her?" my friend Seth asked me. I had shrugged my shoulders and told him I didn't know, but deep down I knew. My heart had belonged to another woman since high school.

The majority of my childhood was spent in Chicago. My father was a successful surgeon while my mother volunteered for various community charities. At the beginning of my senior year, my dad was offered a job at a hospital in Port Angeles, Washington. My mom found us a house she loved in a small town, not too far away, called Forks.

I never really had much luck in the girl department. I'd always been the scrawny, red-haired kid who was constantly teased. But somewhere along the way I grew into my looks. I knew I was good looking but tried not to let it affect who I was. I had a few girlfriends during my sophomore and junior years, but I guess they got bored with me because it didn't take long before it was over.

I was never really into the typical guy activities. Sure, I liked sports but only if I was watching a live game of football, baseball, soccer or hockey. I never wanted to actually go out and participate in them. I was also never into video games or computers. I preferred to spend my time outdoors, riding four wheelers, going out on my dad's boat, or camping, also I loved riding my grandfather's Quarter horse.

I fell for a girl that fateful first day at my new school. I spotted her in the parking lot that morning. She was sitting on the tailgate of a beat up Chevy pickup reading a book, her long brown hair pulled up in a pony tail, showing off a beautiful neck as the sun beamed around her as if illuminating her soul. Even with Large sunglasses hiding her eyes, I knew right away I'd have a problem steering clear of her.

Once I secured my new class schedule, I fumbled my way down the slightly crowded hallway to find my classes. I'd made it through most of the morning and was excited because my next class was jazz band. Now _there_ was a class I could relate to. I always loved music; my mom taught me to play the piano at a young age, and when I was older I learned the trumpet.

I found my way to class and literally ran into the beautiful girl from the parking lot. She fell into my chest, and my arms automatically wrapped around her shoulders to steady her.

"Sorry," she said bashfully, as she stared at my shirt.

_Be brave, Cullen._ "No worries," I said. "I'm Edward Cullen." I bent down slightly to look at her face and brought one hand under her chin to lift her reddened face. I'd been right. She was a vision. Her big, brown, soulful eyes stared back at me.

"I know," she said quickly, looking embarrassed.

_How did she know who I was already?_ I raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I saw you earlier, and this being a small school and all… word travels fast."

I chuckled. "I'll bet it does. And who might you be?" I asked, noticing I still had a hold of her chin and one arm around her shoulder. _Should I let go? She's not protesting at all? I really like the way she feels in my arms._

"I'm Bella Swan."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Bella. Are you in this class?"

"Yeah, we should probably get going. Mr. Messina doesn't like it when we're late." She pulled away and headed towards the door of the band room. Looking over her shoulder, she added, "Are you coming?" _Not yet, but I will be shortly. Fuck me and my adolescent mind. It was going to be a long year._

From that day Bella and I became pretty good friends. I started having some major feelings for her but never told her. She had a boyfriend, Tyler something or other - he was a jock and an all around asshole. They broke up about a month before prom, and finally when I found the nerve to ask her out, I was crushed to hear another jock asshole had asked her to prom.

I decided then and there I wouldn't go to prom. I really wanted to go with Bella and if I couldn't, I wouldn't go at all. My mom kept trying to convince me to go. She'd heard me talk about Bella, but I tried not to give her too much information. A teenage boy had enough embarrassment to deal with without his mother adding to it.

Graduation came and went. Bella and I lost contact, the images of her still haunted me. I decided I needed a fresh start. To the dismay of my parents, I moved to Portland, Oregon, which was five hours south of Forks. I got into college and decided to study agriculture.

My grandfather, Edward Masen Cullen, had been one of the greatest influences of my life. I remember him telling me stories about when he was younger. He grew up with his parents and six siblings on a small farm in rural Illinois. He would tell me of their many adventures, trying to make the best of things while growing up in the middle of the Depression. He taught me how to take the little things in life, whether they were good or bad, and use them to make yourself stronger.

He passed his love of horses down to me. While I was growing up he had a couple of horses. He taught me how to ride, groom, and properly train a horse. I always begged my parents to let me spend the summers with him. I soaked up all of the knowledge he gave me.

He died, at the age of 73, of a rare cancer, but he fought like hell during the last two years of his life to beat it. I was a sophomore in college when he passed, and I ended up deciding to be a rancher as a way of honoring his memory. He left me a pretty hefty inheritance. With it I bought a 200 acre spread of land about 30 minutes west of Portland outside of a little college town called Forest Grove.

The house and barns were built on my newly-purchased land while I finished college. It was satisfying knowing I played a hand in what materials were used to build my house. I designed the house with the hope that one day I'd have a family. Bella was still at the forefront of my mind every time I envisioned my future; my memories of her were still fresh.

I designed a large open kitchen with state of the art appliances, natural hardwood floors, and a double sink vanity in the master bathroom, along with a large jet tub and waterfall-style shower. All in the hope that, one day, I would meet a woman who would become even one tenth as important as Bella had been.

I had three large barns constructed. Two of them held stalls and tack rooms, while the third had a huge indoor arena and an office. It wasn't until after I graduated college I bought my first set of horses, a Morgan and a Pinto.

A buddy from college introduced me to his cousin, Joe, who had grown up on a ranch. After talking with him over the course of several weeks, I offered him the position of being my ranch foreman. If I was going to do this right, I would really need someone with a lot of experience. Joe was a great asset from the start. I truly believed between his hard work and knowledge, and my faith and money we made a great foundation for the ranch.

Joe came to me one day and said if we were going to be serious about the breeding and training of horses, we would need a name. I wracked my brain for days trying to come up with something suitable but also something that represented me and my life. My mind continually flashed to Bella. She had been my high school sweetheart, even if she hadn't returned my feelings. My life and Bella; it came to me. Bella Vida - meaning _beautiful life_ in Italian. Luckily my family had ties to Italy, so if anyone wondered I could just tell them it was due to my heritage.

Word quickly spread, and business started picking up. Joe and I hired ranch hands, as well as additional trainers. We could board 30 horses at a time. Between the training and the breeding, business was good.

That had been my life until Lauren demanded I marry her. I called my mom to ask her advice on what I should do. Sure, it wasn't going to be the most pleasant of conversations, but I knew I had to tell her eventually. Hopefully she would help me figure out the right thing to do.

I dialed her number and slouched back into the couch as the phone rang.

"Hello," my mother answered in a chipper voice.

"Hey Mom," I said, willing myself not to chicken out.

"Edward, how are things going?"

"Good… well, that's a lie. I need to talk to you about something. Do you have a few minutes?" I asked kind of hoping she didn't.

"Of course I do."

"Um, okay, here it goes. I'm going to be a father."

My mom gasped. "What? With who? Not that Lauren girl you told us about?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Yeah, with Lauren. I went over to break up with her last week, and she told me she was pregnant."

"Are you sure she's not just trying to keep you tied to her?"

I laughed. "No, she went to the doctor who confirmed it's true. I'm going to be a dad."

I heard her take a few deep breaths. "Well, okay, we can deal with this. You know… it's kind of exciting to know I'm going to be a grandma."

I hated to spoil her good mood. "Um, mom… there's more."

"What?"

"Lauren is demanding I marry her. If I don't she's saying she'll get an abortion. I can't marry her, Mom, but I refuse to let her do that. What am I going to do?" I reached up and pulled at my hair.

"My dear boy, you are in a pickle." I could imagine my mom tapping her chin as she thought.

"Is there any way you can convince her to keep the baby? Maybe instead of getting married she can carry the baby to term and sign all rights to you? Or if its money she's after, which I'll bet you anything it is, you can offer her a settlement or child support."

After a few more minutes, I thanked my mom, told her I loved her, and hung up. Maybe I could convince Lauren to sign off on the child if I gave her a settlement, a large one.

After a lot of negotiating with Lauren, my lawyer and I were able to come up with terms of agreement. Lauren would let me be actively involved in the pregnancy and the raising of the baby. We would switch custody every other week, and I would pay a large sum of child support every month. I would've preferred sole custody, but I guess it wasn't in the cards.

The day Lizzy was born was the happiest day of my life. She was so beautiful. Her tiny, little fingers wrapped around my pinky. She's had me trained from day one. She was always a Daddy's girl. I had her riding a horse as soon as she was old enough to hold herself up. I would strap her to me and have the horse slowly mosey about. She loved it. I loved it.

I grew lonely during the weeks Lizzy was at Lauren's house. I would occasionally hook up with a girl, but not often. I mainly focused on the ranch. One evening, while checking my Facebook account, I decided to search for Bella. Over 500 profiles came up; I narrowed the search by adding Forks High School. Her picture instantly popped into view.

_Holy hell if she isn't more beautiful now._ Lucky for me her profile wasn't locked, so I was able read everything and look at every picture. I was excited to see her relationship status was currently single. I scarcely allowed myself to hope I could waltz back into her life. _Would she want to be with me? Would she even remember me?_

It took me almost two months before I found my balls and sent her a friend request. To my surprise it was almost immediately accepted. She sent me a message.

**Edward Cullen, as in the Edward Cullen I went to prom with?**

_Prom? I didn't even go to prom._ I was upset when I realized she mustn't remember me. I sat back in my chair, deflated.

**I never went to prom… do you remember me?**

_Damn… the girl I've been harboring feelings for these past nine years doesn't remember me._

**Huh?? Weren't you in jazz band? We sat next to each other. We went to our senior prom together.**

_I was in jazz band. Maybe she does remember me, but why is she thinking we went to prom together?_

**Yeah, I was in jazz band, but we didn't sit next to each other. I sat in the back and played the trumpet, while you sat up front and played the sax. No prom for me… are you sure you remember who I am?**

She replied pretty quickly.

**Huh… well, crap. Who in the hell did I go to prom with? Of course I remember who YOU are. You moved to Forks part way through our senior year, right?**

_Well, thank the Lord, she does remember me._ I started to feel a little better.

**Yes, I moved to Forks our senior year. I for sure remember you… but I would remember if we went to prom together… must have been some other lucky guy!**

I honestly couldn't remember which jockstrap she'd gone to prom with, but I did know he had been a lucky SOB.

**I remember you, Edward. If you are positive we didn't go to prom together, then I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part. On another note, how has life been treating you? I stole a peek at your profile and see you have a daughter - she is absolutely beautiful.**

_Is it really wishful thinking on her part? Is she flirting with me? Please, oh please._ A smile plastered across my face when she'd asked about Lizzy. She really was a beautiful child.

**Thank you; she is the love of my life!!! Her name is Elizabeth, but I call her Lizzy-Bear. She's 18 months old and full of life. Life has been crazy for me lately, some ups and downs. I'm living just outside of Portland and love it here. I have owned a ranch for about five years now and am doing well. How about you?**

I drummed my fingers along my desk, waiting for her reply.

**Horses or cattle? I've always been fascinated with ranches. I still live in Forks. Wow, I made it far, huh? Anyway, I am currently single and working as a Logistics Analyst. I absolutely love what I do but seriously hate my job. I want to open up my own bakery one day. Lizzy-Bear is an adorable nickname. Kids have such great personalities at that age, and the things that come out of their mouths are hilarious! A friend of mine works as a teacher for a group of toddlers, and she was once called a 'silly bitch' by a two year old… hahaha!**

I would probably pass out laughing if Lizzy ever called me a silly bitch. Being on the ranch I'm sure she's heard her share of foul words. I'm grateful the guys try to keep their language in check whenever she's around.

_Why is she telling me she's single? Is she hoping I might be interested? Because, I most certainly am. Hmm, Bella likes to bake…_ I instantly had visions of Bella in my kitchen baking, wearing nothing but an apron and high heels. I felt myself go hard. _Holy fuck, after all of these years she still has an effect on me._

**I have a horse ranch - cows smell too much. Ha! Single, huh? Me too. My ex and I share custody of Lizzy-Bear; I get her every other week. The weeks I have her are great and so much fun. She always keeps me on my toes. A bakery? Portland has a great culinary school - you should think about applying. If that's what you want to do, then you should go for it.**

_Great, Cullen… scare her off by basically inviting her to move to Portland, even if it is for school. Get your shit together and stop being a douche._ Bella and I talked continued to talk some more and even exchanged phone numbers.

When I got up the following morning I couldn't stop myself from sending her a text message. I'm sure she was going to think I was crazy for sending her a text at 5am, but I couldn't wait any longer. _I really hope it doesn't wake her up._

**Morning, Beautiful. It was great talking with you last night. I hope you slept well ~ E**

I was probably crossing a line by calling her beautiful, but I couldn't help it. Just talking with her last night had me walking on clouds. The guys seemed to notice as I helped with the morning chores and supervised a delivery of hay.

I walked into the kitchen to see Lizzy up and dressed. My part time nanny, Estella, was cooking breakfast. Estella only worked for me the days I had Lizzy. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't keep Lizzy outside with me all day, therefore Estella would keep her occupied while I worked. I had just sat down for breakfast when my cell vibrated in my pocket.

**Hey, Handsome, I slept well, thanks. What in the hell were you doing up at 5:28 this morning? Shouldn't you be sleeping like a normal person? Crap, I need more coffee! ~ B**

_Handsome? I guess I'm not the only one with nicknames._ Her text cracked me up. She really was adorable and definitely not a morning person. I typed out a quick message.

**Ha ha! I own a ranch, remember? I get up before the sun rises; I'm done with my morning work now and enjoying some breakfast with Lizzy-Bear. ~ E**

I continued my day on cloud nine, whistling as I worked and played with Lizzy-Bear. I could feel, deep down, my life was going to change.

Bella and I talked everyday for the next two months, whether it was on the phone, Facebook, or through text messages. We were in constant contact. I loved hearing her laugh, so I always made sure to tell her about the mischief Lizzy-Bear got into.

It was coming up on Thanksgiving when I decided to take a trip home to see my parents and Bella. I usually had my parents fly or drive down to the ranch because I didn't feel comfortable about leaving. But I had come to trust the team I'd hired, so I talked with Joe and we decided it was a good time for me to go. Lizzy would be with Lauren for the holiday, and I certainly didn't want to be home by myself.

I sent Bella a text asking her to call me when she had a moment. I was a little nervous about her reaction of me coming to town. We hadn't seen each other in over nine years; a person can change a lot during that amount of time.

Bella called me on her lunch break, which was shortly after 10am. That seems kind of early for lunch… oh well. Bella seemed excited to have me come to town. I'd be driving up the following day and tried to convince her to let me take her out to dinner but she wouldn't hear of it. She insisted on _making_ dinner… I guess I couldn't complain.

The following morning I dropped Lizzy-Bear off at Lauren's, which was always a hard thing to do, not only for me but for Lizzy as well. I hated to leave my baby girl behind, but I knew she needed to spend time with her mother. I tried to ignore Lauren's obvious interest in us getting back together. Every time I'd see her she would lay her hands on my chest or try to grab my ass. _Come on, woman, leave me the fuck alone and be grateful you're getting some time with our daughter._ That's another reason why I hated dropping Lizzy-Bear off; it seemed Lauren was more interested in me than Lizzy.

I drove above the speed limit all the way to Forks, only stopping once to top off the gas tank of my Ford F350 and grab some coffee. I loved my truck. It was huge. It had chrome running boards and a winch system attached to the front– working on a ranch, one never knows what might happen. The truck was black with ghost flames along the front hood; it had four doors and was a monster on the road. It was one of the things I indulged in once the ranch started turning a profit.

On the outskirts of Forks I came to a stop sign, my parents place was to the left and Bella's work was to the right. I had originally told my parents I'd drop by to see them as soon as I got into town, but I had an overwhelming urge to see Bella. So, I turned right. I pulled into the parking lot of the local market and grabbed a bouquet of deep purple tulips. I remembered in high school Bella had received a single red rose from one of her jock boyfriends. She later confided in me she secretly hated roses; tulips were her favorite. I was banking on that still being true.

Bella explained to me, during one of our many conversations, she worked for a logistics company called Freight Forward. I admit I'd Googled it before leaving home and had entered the address into my GPS. Upon my arrival, I found the front door of the building locked but noticed a door bell. A voice came over an intercom and asked who I was and who I was there to see. Once they were satisfied with my answers, I heard the door unlock. _Well, at least they keep their employees safe._ I walked into the reception area and was greeted by a balding, middle-aged man wearing a scowl.

"You're here to see Bella?" he asked, looking at me with obvious disapproval.

"Yes, sir, I am,"

"One moment," he said, then turned and walked away.

A short time later, I heard him on an overhead intercom asking Bella to come to the main office. I nervously shifted from one foot to the other. _Would she be mad I was here? Should I have waited until tonight to see her?_ My thoughts were interrupted when Bella walked through the door. _My God, she is a vision._

She immediately caught sight of me. The next thing I knew, she barreled towards me. I dropped the flowers on the table next to me and grabbed Bella as her body collided with mine. I swung her around in circles. _I guess she was happy I came_, my inner smug bastard thought.

I nuzzled my face into her neck. "I couldn't wait to see you. I came here as soon as I got into town. I haven't even been to see my parents yet," I confessed as I inhaled deeply. _She smells heavenly… like chocolate._ "God, Beautiful, you smell so good. What perfume are you wearing?"

"Its cocoa butter lotion," she whispered, her fingers created a heavenly sensation at the base of my neck.

I heard a throat clear behind us, and Bella stiffened in my arms. The disapproving asshole was back. Bella disentangled herself from me and looked towards him. I kept one arm around her waist, and held her close to my side. My fingers slid between her shirt and jeans as I rubbed circles against the bare skin of her hip. I felt her relax slightly into me as the dickhead cleared his throat again.

"Umm… sorry. Felix, I would like to introduce you to Edward Cullen," Bella said. She then turned towards me. "And Edward, this is Felix - he's the warehouse manager."

I looked over at the jackass, who seemed to size me up, as if trying to determine if I was a threat. I continued to stare at him until I felt Bella hip-bump me. _Man up, Cullen._ I brought my hand out to Felix for a handshake.

"It's nice to meet you, Felix," I said.

"Thanks for paging me, Felix. If I need anything else I'll let you know," Bella said, making Felix huff and walk off.

Bella turned and looked up at me. _God, she really was beautiful. The nickname I gave her fits well._

"Sorry about that. Felix can be a bit… annoying," she whispered.

"No worries. I think he has a thing for you," I whispered back, as I squeezed her waist.

"Ugh, gross! No, thank you," she said dramatically, as she looked at me through her lashes. Her hand rested on my bicep as she pulled us chest to chest. I brought my other arm around her waist, closing any gap between us.

"Besides, I seem to be falling for a handsome rancher who lives in Oregon," she said.

_Oh, thank you, God. I felt like a teenager all over again, except this time I was going to get the girl._

I pressed my forehead to hers. "Well, that's good to hear, because I know I'm falling for a beautiful, hopefully soon-to-be pastry chef," I stated firmly, my eyes never leaving hers. I released a sigh. "I should probably let you get back to work," I said sadly. _I really don't want to leave her._

She sagged against me. "I don't want to," she pouted.

_I'm screwed. _Her bottom lip quivered, and her eyes looked sad."Oh God," I groaned. "Please, don't give me that pouty look. I can tell already I won't be able to resist you."

"You're right. I need to finish some work. Are you still coming over tonight?" she asked, as she bit down on her lower lip.

_First with the pout and now the biting of her lip._ I took hold of all the boldness I had left in me and ghosted my hand up the side of her body. My hand continued to glide up her rib cage, over her arm, across her shoulder, and up the side of her silky smooth neck.

I slowly slid my fingers across her jaw and stopped at her mouth, my thumb caressing her bottom lip, trying to release it from her teeth. _What I wouldn't give to have my lips against hers._

Realizing this wasn't the right place and time, I said, "There's nothing that could keep me away." I placed a light kiss on her forehead as my thumb continued to caress her bottom lip. "Call me when you get home, and I'll be there in a flash… beer in hand," I added, chuckling.

"Okay," she said, attempting to escape my arms, but I tightened my grip.

"Um, Edward?" she asked.

"Yes." I grinned mischievously.

"You have to let me go if I'm going to finish my work."

Contrary to her words her body seemed to melt even further into my arms. "That could be a problem," I stated. "See, I really like having you in my arms. I don't think I want to let you go." _Thank the Lord for my boldness today!_

"As much as I love the sound of that, if I stand here like this with you all day I might get fired," she said.

_She looked so sad, standing in my arms worrying about having to get back to work. Why does she have this job if she hates it so much? She needs something that will make her happy. I can make her happy, if she'll let me._

"Okay, okay… I'll let you go, but just for a couple of hours," I said releasing my hold, but then quickly pulled her back to me for one last hug. I must've surprised her because she squeaked, and damn if it wasn't the cutest squeak I ever heard.

"Okay, go," I said, finally releasing my arms from her waist. I couldn't help myself as I caught her hand in mine, squeezed, and released it.

"I'll call you in a couple of hours, I promise," she said, turning toward the door.

_Fuck, Cullen; don't forget to give her the flowers_. I grabbed them from the table and jogged to Bella. "Beautiful, wait, I almost forgot I brought you these," I said, as I handed her the bouquet of tulips.

Her face lit up. "Thanks," she gushed. "How did you know tulips are my favorite?"

"I remember you saying once they were your favorite, so I took a gamble and prayed they still were," I said.

Confusion flashed in her eyes but was quickly replaced with happiness and tears._ Tears… why is she crying?_

Her hand cupped my cheek as tears flowed down her face. "You are amazing," she said before kissing my cheek. "I'll call you soon; now go so I can get some work done. You're too distracting." She laughed and closed the door behind her.

I continued to stand there a moment, relishing in the fact she seemed as happy to see me as I was to see her. With an extra spring in my step I headed back towards my truck. It was time to visit my parents.

As I pulled up to my parents' I realized I hadn't been home in over four years. I'd barely gotten myself out of the truck when my mom was by my side, throwing her arms around me.

"Edward, I'm so glad you're home. How was the drive? Are you hungry?" she asked quickly, not giving me a chance to answer one question before she'd ask another.

I chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Hi to you too," I said.

My mom looked at me for a moment. "Something is different about you. I can't put my finger on it, but I'll figure it out."

I followed my mom up the path to the front door where my father stood waiting. I pulled him into a tight hug. "Hey, Dad."

"Son, it's good to have you here. Your mother hasn't sat still all day, she's been so excited." I laughed and slapped him on the back.

"Carlisle, dear, do you notice something different about Edward?" my mom said.

"He looks happy," my dad noted. "He has a glow about him. What's going on, son? Do we have another grandchild on the way? Please tell me Lauren isn't the mother."

_Ha… Is he crazy? _Since I wanted to invite Bella to Thanksgiving dinner, I decided I needed to tell them."I'm happy. Very happy, and it's not because there is another grandchild coming. I think I reached my quota of children mothered by Lauren. I met someone."

"A girl?" my mother screamed with excitement.

"Well, actually, she's a woman, but yes."

With the way my mother screamed you would've thought she'd won the lottery. "Oh my goodness, who is she? How long have you known her?"

My dad's arm went around her shoulders. "Love, you need to calm down and let Edward tell us. He can't get a word in with all your excitement. Come family, let's go make ourselves comfortable."

I followed them into the living room. The house smelled the same: my mother's home cooking and lemon-scented cleaner.

I settled on the plush, black leather couch. "I've known Bella since high school." I waited a beat to see if my mom registered the name.

Realization dawned on her face. "Wait, you mean Bella from Forks High School? The girl you kept talking about from your first day of school until graduation? The girl who got asked to prom by someone else before you had a chance to tell her how you felt? _That_ Bella?"

I sat there stunned. I didn't know my mom knew why I hadn't wanted to attend the prom. She really was full of surprises.

"Don't look at me like that, dear. I'm your mother, of course I figured out the real reason why you didn't go to prom. You had such a thing for her back then."

I chuckled. "Yeah, well, Bella and I got back into contact a couple of months ago and have been talking every day since. I was hoping to bring her to Thanksgiving dinner. Is that okay?"

My mom looked like she was going to bounce out of her chair. "Of course it's alright. I've seen her around town over the years at different events. She is such a beautiful young lady. I'm very happy with your choice, Edward. Not that you need my permission or blessing, but I'm giving it to you nonetheless. Isn't that right, Carlisle?" she asked, nudging him in the stomach.

"Yes, dear," he responded dryly.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon with my parents. I hadn't yet decided where I was going to stay while in town. A part of me hoped to stay at Bella's, but I didn't want to assume or overstep my bounds at all, so I asked my parents' if I could take my old room. They readily agreed.

I was anxious all afternoon as I waited for Bella to finish her workday. When her call finally came, I was anxious but excited at the same time. I sprinted to the truck and headed to her house. I was able to convince her fairly easily to remain on the phone while I drove over.

Upon arriving at her townhouse, I parked the truck and quietly made my way to the front door. I wanted to surprise her. I knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. She no sooner had the door open when she dropped her cell and launched into my arms. _God, it had only be a few hours, and I'd already missed holding her._ I clung to her, lifted her feet off the ground, and carried her into the house, closing the door with my hip.

"Wow, those are some mad skills, Cullen," Bella giggled.

Her face was suddenly terrified. She yelled something about meat and went running through the house. _What the hell is going on?_ I tentatively followed, ending up in her kitchen. I propped myself against the refrigerator and admired her as she worked at the stove.

"Dinner is almost ready. Hey, where's the beer?" she asked.

Startled and a little embarrassed, I realized I hadn't brought it in with me. "Oh… I left it in the truck. I was excited to see you," I admitted.

Bella blushed, and she walked towards me. "I'm glad you were excited to see me, but go get the beer."

I had to laugh as she lightly punched me in the stomach, and I held my hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay," I said, and headed to the front door.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Bella checking me out. "See something you like?" I taunted as I wiggled my hips. _Fuck, Cullen. You did not just wiggle your hips! Just go jump off a cliff now._

"Hey, that's supposed to be my line, but now that you mention it, I certainly see something I like… a whole lot of something actually," she said, blushing.

_Holy fuck!_ "Me too," I said, and then slipped out the door.

I walked to my truck, taking deep breaths. _Take it easy, get yourself together. Don't scare her away and definitely no more wiggling your hips._ I retrieved the case of Corona and the bag of limes from the truck, and headed back inside. As I opened her front door, I noticed her cell phone lying on the porch. I chuckled, and bent to retrieve it, then walked back into the house.

"Well, hell, are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked as I walked into her kitchen.

"Why, do you want to get drunk?" I asked. "While I was outside I found your cell lying by the front door. You seem to have dropped it when I came over." I chucked.

"Thank you, now get me a beer," she demanded, before she bent down to pull the taco shells from the oven.

_Oh my God, she is trying to kill me._ _Her jeans are so tight…_ I tried to stifle a groan, but apparently Bella heard me because she looked over her shoulder.

"Staring much?" She imitated my earlier reaction and shook her ass at me.

"Fuck, you have no idea," I said, stalking towards her. Luckily she got the shells onto the counter and the oven door closed before I pressed my chest to her back. I placed my hands on her shoulders, and nuzzled my face into her neck, inhaling her magnificent scent.

"Fuck, you are driving me crazy. First I show up and you look amazing, then you bend over in those tight jeans and I nearly lose myself, and have I mentioned your smell?"

She stiffened slightly. "What… my smell? I just took a shower. I don't smell."

"Your smell is mouthwatering," I reassured her. I felt her body relax against my chest.

My lips attached to the fragrant, silky smooth skin of her neck. She moaned. _That has got to be the sexiest sound I've ever heard._ "You really are trying to kill me. That moan… holy fucking hell," I groaned, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist. My mouth continued the exploration across her neck.

Bella squirmed until she faced me, our chests pressed together. Her arms wrapped around my neck while my fingers caressed her back. Bella's lips pressed to my neck, and quickly found a sensitive spot as I released a growl deep in my chest. _I'm going to fall apart soon._ My hands continued along her back, going lower and lower until they reached the swell of her ass. _Heavenly... just heavenly. _

My hands dipped even lower and grabbed the back of her thighs; I picked her up and placed her on the counter. To my surprise she wrapped her legs around my waist, securing us together. _Oh, what I wouldn't give to stay like this forever. M_y lips and tongue continually tasting her neck.

Her small hands tugged at my hair. _Does she want me to stop? Have I gone too far_? I pulled away and looked into her face. _She must not be too mad because her legs are still around my hips._

"Handsome," she breathed, as her fingers started to lightly massage my scalp.

"Yes?" I purred. _What the fuck, Cullen? Purring is not very manly._

"As much as I love, and I mean _love,_ what you're doing to my neck, there's something I'd love even more," she said.

I tried to keep myself from becoming too eager. I felt like I'd give her the world. "Anything Beautiful, I'd give you anything," I confessed, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Kiss me," she whispered, her eyes darting down to my lips.

A smile broke across my face. _It's about fucking time_. I brought my mouth to hers, and maintained eye contact. "Bella," I whispered, as our lips touched for the first time.

Kissing Bella was like coming home. It felt perfect. I slowly slid my tongue against her bottom lip in hopes she would open so I could taste her. With a whimpering sound her mouth opened, and I groaned at the taste. Her fingers gripped my hair, trying to pull me closer. I wrapped one hand around the base of her neck and one around her back to close any gap between us.

We finally pulled away, only when we both needed to breathe. I pressed my forehead against hers.

"Holy fuck," Bella moaned, entangling her fingers in my hair.

"That has got to be the best first kiss of my whole life," I said with a smirk.

"I'd have to agree. That was fucking amazing."

I groaned at her words. _Does she have to continue using the word fuck? It's killing any resolve I have._

"What?" she asked quietly.

"Have I mentioned how fuck hot it is when you say _fuck_?"

"Really?"

"Hell, yes."

"Fuck hot, huh? If you haven't noticed, Handsome, I fucking say fuck a lot," she said. I could tell she was trying not to smile.

_She's teasing me. Two can play at that game._ I growled and immediately started tickling her. She started wiggling and laughing. Her legs unwrapped from my waist as she tried to get away.

"Uncle…..uncle…" she finally screamed, causing me to stop my attack.

"If you say fuck one more time, you're done for." I laughed as I wrangled my way back between her legs.

Bella's stomach growled and I laughed as she hid her face behind her hair. "Hungry?" I asked, as I put my hand under her chin and brought her eyes to look at me.

"Let's get you fed." I smiled before placing a chaste kiss on her lips and stepped back to allow Bella to remove herself from the counter.

"Hey, Edward."

"Yes."

"Where the _fudge_ is my beer? I want my beer," she said dramatically.

I let out a laugh and grabbed a beer. "Sorry about that… you distracted me."

She turned towards me and arched an eyebrow. "I distracted you?"

"Yep."

"You're so full of shit." She laughed.

I handed her a beer. "Whatever you say."

"Thanks. Time to eat."

"Thank the Lord, I was beginning to think I would die of starvation." I chuckled.

Bella's face turned stern, and she pointed a finger at me. "You, mister, are on thin ice, so watch it."

If I wasn't rock hard before, I sure as hell was now. "Oh, really?" I leaned towards her and closed my mouth around her pointed finger, sucking and swirling my tongue.

"Oh, fuck," she moaned.

I released her finger with a pop. "Still on thin ice?" I asked, grinning.

"What? Damn it! That isn't fair," she yelled, her eyes dancing with laughter.

Knowing she wasn't pissed, I continued to play. "What's not fair?" I asked.

"You keep distracting me. That finger stunt you just pulled was… that was…"

"It was what?" I grinned. _I love her being flustered. Make a mental note to do it often._

"Amazing," she finally yelled.

I reached my arms out and grabbed the belt loops of her jeans, and pulled her to my chest. "What is amazing is you," I said, brushing some hair behind her ear, and cupping her cheek. Bella sighed.

"Let's eat," I said, and helped Bella bring the food to the table. Everything looked amazing. She had a huge variety of toppings.

While taking a bite of my taco, some salsa landed on my chin. Before I could wipe it off, Bella leaned into me and sucked my chin into her mouth. I nearly fainted as her tongue swirled around.

"That was hot," I said as Bella sat back in her own chair. _Another mental note… eat tacos with Bella as often as possible. _

I insisted on helping Bella clean her kitchen. We worked seamlessly as I washed and she dried. After getting a pot of coffee going, we made our way to the living room to watch a movie. My cell phone starting ringing: _Daddy Big Boots_ by Elvis Presley - my special ringtone for Lizzy-Bear.

With a smile on my face, I glanced at Bella. "It's Lizzy-Bear, do you mind?" I asked, holding up my cell.

"Of course I don't mind."

I sank into the cushions of the couch, while Bella sat on the armrest. My free hand rubbed along her back.

"Hey Lizzy-Bear, how's my baby girl doing? Yeah, baby, I miss you too. Are you having fun with Mommy? You went to the zoo, really? What animals did you see? Really, did Mommy take pictures? She did?"

_I really miss her._ I continued keeping one hand on Bella, in hopes I would be able to focus some of my need for Lizzy on Bella.

"Okay, baby, I want to you go to sleep for Mommy; you've had an exciting day. I love you, Lizzy-Bear. I'll see you in a few days, okay? Yeah, baby, you can call me whenever you want, okay? Good night, baby girl." I hung up the phone and sat silence for a moment.

I looked up at Bella and, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her into my lap. She snuggled against my chest. "This feels nice," I sighed.

"I wholeheartedly agree. You're an amazing father, Edward. Your daughter is lucky to have a father who is so devoted to her," Bella said softly into my neck.

"Thanks, I devote myself fully to all of those I love," I stated, hoping one day Bella would let me be devoted to her.

We sat snuggled together until we heard the coffeemaker beep. "You want some coffee?" Bella whispered.

I said sure, and even offered to get it. Bella declined and suggested I pick out a movie for us to watch. She pointed to her movie collection, and I was flabbergasted when I opened the cupboard and saw hundreds of DVDs lining the shelves, all in alphabetical order. _Wow, that takes a lot of patience and determination._

"Wow, you sure do have a lot of movies," I said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I tend to get addicted to them easily, so I buy them instead of having to deal with the video store. Pick whatever one you want," she said.

I quickly scanned her selection and saw the latest _Transformers_ movie. _Bingo._ I grabbed the DVD and went back to the couch. Bella came back shortly after and set our coffees on the table.

"So… what did you decide on?" she asked.

"_Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen_," I said, holding up the DVD case.

She looked stunned. "You must have read my mind. That's exactly the one I would've chosen."

_Of course it is, silly woman. We are meant to be together. You can't say that out loud, Cullen. Think of something else._ "It's one of my favorites. I love when Bumblebee cries."

"You're too good to be true." She sighed, gently prying the DVD from my fingers.

Bella got up to get the movie ready; when it started she dimmed the lights. Once she was within grabbing distance, I snaked my arms around her waist and pulled her down next to me on the couch. She rested her head in the crook of my neck.

I grabbed the throw blanket along the back of the couch and swaddled us both. "Comfy?" I asked in a low whisper.

"I couldn't be better," she said before placing a kiss on the underside of my jaw.

As Bella and I watched the movie, we stayed twined together. I periodically placed kisses along her temple and hair, while Bella would kiss my neck and trace patterns along my chest. The constant contact with her drove my body wild. I tried to plead with my erection to stand down, but he wouldn't listen.

Bella's breathing evened out, and I noticed she'd fallen asleep, her face nuzzled deep in my neck. I decided we needed to be more comfortable, so as quietly and stealthily as I could, I repositioned us. I lay along the couch on my back and pulled Bella on top of me. It was heavenly feeling her weight pressing into me. I slid my fingers underneath the hem of her shirt and ghosted them along her spine.

While Bella slept I thought about our current situation. I wanted nothing more than to be with her. I'd wanted to be with her since the first time I saw her. _Just find your balls, Cullen, and ask her on a proper date. If she says no you'll deal with it. But if she says yes, you can be one happy SOB._

Bella awoke at some point and looked up at me; my fingers continued along her back. "Do you have any idea how amazing that feels?" she asked, kissing my jaw for a moment.

She turned to look at me again and asked. "Not that I mind, but how did we get in this position?"

I chuckled. "When I noticed you'd fallen asleep, I couldn't help but want to make you as comfortable as possible. So, I shifted us a little." _Please don't be mad, please don't be mad._

"Good decision-making skills, Cullen… this is so much more comfortable," she murmured, while she snuggled against me.

_Thank goodness she wasn't mad._ I decided to gather my courage and ask her a very important question. I lightly cupped her cheek and turned her to face me. "Baby, can I ask you a question?" _Baby? Well that's new… I think I like it._

"Of course."

_Just do it, Cullen._ "Will you be my girlfriend?" I asked as I gazed into her eyes, hoping, praying for her to say yes. She gasped. _Is that good or bad?_

"Edward," she brought both of her hands to my face, "I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend." She giggled.

I was shocked. _Did she just say yes?_ "Really?"

"Yes, do you have any idea how happy you've made me?" she asked, before she kissed me.

I felt like I wanted to jump for joy. _Holy fuck, she said yes. Bella's my girlfriend. I can't believe it. Almost ten years of wanting to be with her, and I finally am._ "If it's a fraction of how happy you've made me, then I think I know," I murmured against her lips as I kissed her passionately.

When we finally broke apart, Bella asked. "How are we going to do this?"

_That's a good question. How are we going to do this? We live five hours apart. She has a life here._ _We can do this. We can make it work._ "I haven't quite thought that far ahead yet, baby, but we'll figure it out, I promise."

"I trust you… I trust us," she said.

"Good, because I trust us too," I murmured, as I brushed another kiss against her lips. "It's late, and you have to work tomorrow. I should head out and let you sleep."

"Please don't go. Can you just stay with me? I want to wake up next to you… please?" She pouted.

_Oh, fuck no, not the pout. Wait… did she just ask me to stay with her?_ "You, Beautiful, are a dangerous creature. I knew I wouldn't be able to resist that pout of yours." I laughed while I ran my hands up and down her back. "Of course I'll stay with you." _I'd be a fool if I left._

Bella stood and reached her hand out to me. I linked our fingers and followed her up the stairs.

**AN: So… do you all like Cowboyward? I found it fairly easy to write from his POV. Please let me know what you think. There'll be two more chapters from him to match with Bella. Once everything is caught up I will continue with the main story.**

**Please press the review button! Thanks everyone. *Eifeltwr***


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